Douglass (Mont.) man jailed for reprehensible' conduct with girl, 13

NORRISTOWN — A Douglass (Mont.) man’s pleas for leniency on charges he propositioned a 13-year-old girl for sex via Facebook were turned down by a judge who called his conduct “reprehensible.”

“It was reprehensible, no question about it. I think you present a clear and present danger to society. Society has to be protected from you at this juncture,” Montgomery County Judge Gary S. Silow addressed Jason Torres as he sentenced Torres to 7˝ to 20 years in state prison on charges of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, attempted obscene and other sexual materials and corruption of a minor.

Torres, 38, of the 100 block of Wild Run Road, bowed his head and appeared to choke back tears as he learned his fate. Several of Torres’ relatives and friends also wept, his mother tearfully uttering, “Oh God,” as handcuffs were placed around her son’s wrists.

Torres, who has been in jail since January 2013 on the charges, begged the judge for leniency, claiming, “I feel I’ve been punished enough already. I just plead for your mercy.”

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“I don’t agree with that. I’m surprised you would even state that,” Silow responded, adding a lesser sentence would depreciate the seriousness of Torres’ crimes.

Torres, who knew the girl’s family, was 36 at the time of the incidents, which occurred between July 2011 and January 2012.

“I am truly sorry for what I’ve done and for the pain I caused the family and the young female. I know I was wrong for that,” Torres told the judge.

With the charges, prosecutors alleged Torres engaged in improper, sexually explicit Internet conversations, via Facebook, with the girl, who ultimately notified her parents and then police. Montgomery County detectives then took control of the girl’s Facebook account and posed as the juvenile, unbeknownst to Torres, who during Internet chats propositioned an undercover detective for sex.

Torres, authorities alleged, arranged a meeting with who he believed was the 13-year-old girl and was arrested on the parking lot of an East Greenville convenience store on Jan. 20, 2012, when he showed up for the meeting. Testimony revealed when Torres was arrested he was found with condoms in his possession.

Assistant District Attorney Anthony Coccerino sought a lengthy state prison stint for Torres, arguing that he “used and abused” his friendship with the girl’s family “for his own twisted sexual needs.”

“This defendant is like a cancer that is caught early in the body and if he’s not dealt with in the proper way you don’t know what could happen,” Coccerino argued.

Torres, according to testimony, claimed he was going to teach the girl about sex and communicated that he wanted to engage in various sexual acts with the girl. Torres, while chatting with the undercover detective posing as the girl, activated a webcam on his computer and performed a sexual act, according to testimony.

“They were explicit. They were graphic. They were sexual and they were comments that might make even consenting adults blush. They were absolutely deranged, particularly when one considers that he was talking to a 13-year-old,” said Coccerino, characterizing the nature of Torres’ comments to the girl.

“What he did was abhorring and dangerous. We had to put a stop to it,” Coccerino added.

Coccerino called the girl “incredibly brave” for reporting Torres’ conduct to her parents and police.

Defense lawyer Evan Hughes argued for leniency on behalf of Torres, characterizing him as a remorseful man who experienced “a loss of control” and who has strong family support.

Torres’ parents and friends testified he was a “caring and kind, gentle soul” who made “a mistake” and is amenable to rehabilitation. They implied Torres’ conduct was an aberration.

“It’s hard for a father to comprehend why a son would do this. Never in my life I would have thought this would come about,” Torres’ father, Juan, testified.

“I still can’t fathom it,” Robert Betz, Torres’ friend, testified.

After his release from prison, Torres must report his address to state police for the rest of his life in order to comply with the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Last year, Torres, who previously resided along Jefferson Street in Red Hill, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor stalking charge in connection with his repeated contact with an ex-girlfriend in Marlborough between November 2012 and January 2013.

About the Author

Carl Hessler Jr. writes about crime and justice at the Montgomery County Courthouse for The Mercury and 21st Century Media Newspaper’s Greater Philadelphia area publications. A native of Reading, he studied at Penn State University and Kutztown University before graduating from Alvernia University with a degree in communications. He is a recipient of a National Headliner Award and has been honored for his writing by the Keystone Press Association, Philadelphia Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Associated Press Managing Editors of Pennsylvania. Reach the author at chessler@pottsmerc.com
or follow Carl on Twitter: @MontcoCourtNews.